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| © Sustainability Consult |
Challenges
facing the future of Europe’s energy sector were discussed in Maastricht last
week at the Second
European Energy Conference.
European and international communities recognise the need to move
towards a low carbon future, but despite high expectations and the efforts made
by several stakeholders, there remain substantial concerns about costs and the public’s
commitment.
The
event brought together high-level speakers, from researchers to policymakers
and practitioners, who debated new ideas, shared the most recent technological
advances in science and above all discussed strategies for a more sustainable
energy market.
Even
though it was agreed that Europe should be aiming for lower carbon emissions, no
general consensus exists on how to do this and which sectors should be prioritised. The main issues concern the cost of transitioning
to a sustainable energy supply and communicating its benefits to the general
public. According to Marianne Haug from Universität Hohenheim, this
transition should be market driven to ensure a more competitive and accessible
sustainable energy market.
Offering
excellent networking opportunities, one of the conference’s highlights was a debate
around fusion
energy. Advances in
this area point towards a promising future for Europe’s energy supply, with
lower waste and safety concerns compared to the nuclear
fission-based
power production that currently exists.
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